The next day after class, instead of heading to the tennis courts, Ryoma headed home with Sayomi.

"He's so cute..." Sayomi muttered to herself in french.

"Huh?"

"Nothing, just thinking out loud."

"Well next time think in english so I hear you thoughts." Ryoma chuckled.

Sayomi walked quietly, holding her books in one hand and sheilding her eyes from the afternoon sun using the other. Soon, she found Ryoma's cap placed atop her head.

"Playing tennis would be harder if you were blind."

"Um...thanks."

"Like I said, tennis would be a lot harder if you were blind."

She went back to carrying her books with both hands. Finally, after what seemed like long quiet hours, they arrived at Ryoma's house.

"Hey dad, I'm home." he called.

Nanjiro poked his head out the door.

"Ooh, you brought home a girl! Who is she?"

"A friend."
"From where?"
"School."

"A girlfriend?"

"No."

"Dating?"

"Sorta."

"Ooh, a girlfriend-to-be!"

Ryoma turned to Sayomi and sighed heavily.

"Shit...we probably should have gone to your house..."

"Nope, it proably would have been worse at my house." she shook her head.

Nanjiro was buzzing around the two.

"So, when did you meet?"

"Yesterday."
"How'd you meet her?"

"She's in my class."

"When did you decide to start dating?"

"Yesterday."
"You just met her and you're already dating her? A ladies man, just like your father!"

"It wasn't completely of my own free will."

"So how did it happen?"

"She sorta...won me." he couldn't think of how to phrase it.

"You won him? How'd that happen?" he turned to Sayomi.

"Tennis match."

"You put yourself up as a prize?!" he turned back to Ryoma.

"Sorta..."

"So who was the match between?"

"Us..."

"You lost? It looks like my tennis skills haven't rubbed off on you after all!" he chuckled.

Ryoma sighed and walked inside, Sayomi following him. He showed her to his room.

"I've got a confession, Sayomi."

"What is it?"

"I let you win yesterday."

"What?"

"When I hit the ball out. I did it on purpose."

"Why would you want to lose on purpose?"

"So I could get a date with you."

"But...why didn't you just ask?"

"At first, I intended to win. But as the match went farther, I got more and more impressed with you."

"So then you threw the match...but when did you decide to do it?"

"After you hit back my twist serve."

"But it barely made it over the net."
"But you still managed to hit it. And with your right hand."

"If you knew I was left handed...then why did you hit the twist serve with yor right hand? Doesn't it have to be hit with the opponent's dominant hand?"

"It's simple, I didn't know you were left handed. You were playing with you right hand, so I assumed you were right handed."

"I noticed you were playing with your right hand too. I know for a fact that you're left handed. You were going easy on me, right?"

"Why were you playing with your right hand?"

"I was trying to improve my skill using my right hand."

Ryoma picked up a racket and hit a tennis ball continuously against the wall.

"I did a little research last night."

"About what?"

"About you, Sayomi-chan."

"What exactly did you find out?" she asked nervously.

"That you're the best junior female player in North America."

"Oh, yeah...about that..."

"Why did you tell anyone?"

"I...um..."

Ryoma handed the racket and ball to Sayomi.

"Show me how accurately you can hit it. With your left hand."

Sayomi nervously hit the ball against the wall 10 times, in the same place each time.

"I'm impressed. Now show me with your right hand."

She switched the racket to her right hand and hit the ball again, but this time, not quite as accurately. The ball went in about a 3 cm area.

"I still think you should cut your hair. You'd look cuter with short hair."

"Cute...er? That means...you think I'm already cute." Sayomi blushed.

"That's right. But don't tell anyone." he winked.

"Wow...he thinks I'm cute too..."she thought.

"So what about me?"

"Huh?"

"What about me, Sayomi-chan? How are my looks?"

"Oh...I..I think you're cute too..." she could feel the blush on her face growing.

"Better looking than Tezuka-senpai?"

"Huh?"

"Horio likes you. Never shuts up about you. Said something once about you liking Tezuka-senpai."

A slight look of disgust replaced Sayomi's blush.

"Horio likes me?"

"I'm pretty sure. Some days, you're all he ever talks about."

"Ew...you sure you were supposed to tell me that?"

"Haven't got a clue. But what we talk about on a date doesn't concern him, right?"

"I guess you're right."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"You're both really cute..."

"You're just avoiding the answer." he laughed.

Sayomi checked her watch. It was already 5:30.

"What's the matter, got somewhere to go?"

"Yeah, home. I usually get home from the tennis courts around this time."

"Want me to walk you home?"

"Nah, I'll just go home like it was a normal day. My parents don't know about this date, remember?"

"One more thing."

Ryoma scribbled something onto a tennis ball and threw it to her.

"Cut your hair, Cutie" it read.

Sayomi laughed and threw the ball back at him.